1963 Ford Lotus Cortina MK1 FIA

FIA Cortina, built to a very high standard after an extensive restoration

Superbly presented in Alan Mann colours. 13" Minilites with period Dunlop Racing Tyres

George Wadsworth-built, Appendix 'K' Lotus 1558cc DOHC on 45 DCOE Webers

Ford, steel-cased, straight cut dog box. All safety equipment within expiry date

Eligible for and ready to compete in a variety of prestige events

The Lotus Cortina's serendipitous arrival resulted directly from Ford's decision to step up their motorsport involvement in the early 1960s. Their Head of UK Public Relations, Walter Hayes, spoke to Colin Chapman, asking him to come up with a competitive saloon, using their mainstream Cortina as a base that could be produced in sufficient numbers to satisfy the mandatory 'Group 2' homologation requirements, and with which the Blue Oval could beat all comers. The solution was to take Ford's bullet-proof 1500 Kent engine, fit it with a twin-cam cylinder head, pop it into a stiffened Cortina shell, sort out the suspension and brakes and paint a green stripe down the side. The cars would be built by Lotus at its plant in Cheshunt and marketed through their dealer network as the Ford Cortina Lotus. Once fully developed, the Lotus Cortina's (as they quickly became known) absolutely shone on track driven by household names including Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Jackie Ickx, Roger Clark and many, many more.

This Lotus Cortina MK1 has been completely stripped and a full nut and bolt restoration was carried out to the highest of standards using the best available components to ensure a competitive car. Equipped with a fresh, George Wadsworth-built, Lotus 1558cc DOHC wet-sump unit, with an electric fuel pump, built to FIA Appendix 'K' specification on 45 DCOE Webers (Dyno sheets available). The engine is mated to a Ford steel-cased, straight-cut 'Dog Box'. It sits on 13-inch Minilite Alloy Wheels shod with a set of period Dunlop Racing Tyres and we understand all the safety equipment, extinguisher, cage, seat, tank, harness etc is FIA approved and within expiry date. Finished in a Red and Gold, Alan Mann-style livery, the Lotus is incredibly smart with a standard of finish not often seen on a competition car.

Ready to compete in a variety of prestige events such as the U2TC, Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars and 3-hours, HSCC Historic Touring Cars, the Classic Sports Car Club, the Spa Six-hrs, Silverstone Classic etc., this lovely example presents a fantastic opportunity to be in thick of it on some of the most competitive and well-supported grids in historic motorsport at an approachable cost.